Boiler cleaner



Nov. 6, 1934. F. BOWERS 1,979,728

BOILER CLEANER' Original Filed May 5. 1924 2. Sheets-Sheet l 55u wmmwmmgw @Harney Nov. 6, 1934. F. BOWERS 1,979,728

BOILER CLEANER Original Filed May 5. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES BOILER CLEANER Frank Bowers, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 5, 1924, Serial o. 711,275 Renewed March 23, 1933 19 claims. (c1. 122-392) This invention relates to boiler cleaners and has for its object the provision of a new and improved apparatus for cleaning soot or the like from boiler or other heat exchanger parts.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a unitary head providing a journal bearing for a blower element, a steam passage to said element, a valve controlling said passage and mounting a common mechanism for actuating said blower' and controlling said valve;

Figure 2 is 'a sectional View of the same taken on the'line 2-2 or" Fig. 1;

A Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the valve i and certain means associated therewith to facilitate opening of said valve and to regulably retard its closing;

Figure 4 is a view of the same with the valve open.

In these views the reference character 1 designates a blower element for the discharge of a cleaning iluid. The inlet end of said element is journaled in a bearing 2 carried by the upper end of a gooseneck passage -3 for the cleansing fluid, which passage is adapted to discharge through said bearing into the blower element. The flow through said passage is controlled by a valve 4 mounted within a casing 5 carried by the lower end of the gooseneck member 3. The vparts 2, 3 and 5 are preferably integral, forming a unitary head. 6 is a port within the casing 5 controlled by the valve 4, and 6a is a supply pipe for the cleaning uid connected to the lower end of said casing. It is to be noted lthat said valve seats under pressure of the fluid delivered to said pipe.

The sleeve 8, formed preferably integral with the valvel, extends centrally from the upper `side thereof through the port 6 and through the lpassage 7 within the gooseneck member. Fast upon the upper end of said sleeve is a piston 9 which is reciprocatory Within a cylindrical chamber 10 formed in the upper portion of the casing 5. Said piston and said chamber have their upper portions of an increased diameter, thus formingan annular shoulder 11 upon the piston and a corresponding shoulder 12 upon said chamber, said shoulders being engageable to limit downward travel of the piston. The passage 12a through the sleeve 8 opens at its lower end in the under face of the valve 4 and provides for aflow of the cleansing fluid from the high pressure side of said valve (that is to say, from below the valve) to the chamber 10 above the piston 9. Such flow is controlled by a relatively small auxiliary valve 13 seating marginally on the lower end of the passage 12a and carried by a stem 14 passing through said sleeve v and luted as indicated at 15 to permit steam to ow between said stem and sleeve. Said stem passes through the chamber 10` and projects above the casing 5. The upper portion of said stem is slidable within a tubular stern 16 which is itself slidable in a packed bearing 17 carried by the upper end of the casing 5. Within the piston 9 a sleeve'valve 18 is mounted fast upon the lower end of the tubular stern 16, said valve engaging a cylindrical portion 19 of the interior wall of said piston. Passages 20 are extended through said valve parallel toits axis, said passages providing for a free flow of the cleaning uid to the upper portion of the chamber 10 when unseating of the auxiliary valve 13 allows said fluid to ilow up through the sleeve 8. Intermediate its ends, the sleeve valve is formed with ports 21 in communication with the passages 20 and registering under certain conditions with Vexhaust passages 22 extending through the wall of the piston 9 and opening into a chamber 23 formed by an annular channel in the exterior face of said piston. In its lower portion said piston has formed a plurality of passages 24 through its wall which are adapted to communicate under certain conditions (see Figure 3) with an annular space 25 formed between the shoulders 11 and 12. In all positions of said piston the annulary spaces 23 and 25 communicate with branches 26 and 26a of an exhaust pipe 27. The flow through the branch 26 is regulable by a valve 28.

' Upon the upper end of thetubular stern 16 there is screw threaded a cap member 29 which is outwardly anged as indicated at 292l to form an abutment for the upper end of a coiled spring 30, the lower end of which seats upon the casing 5. Normally said spring establishes the uppermost limiting position of the tubular stem 16 and sleeve Valve 18 shown in Figure 3, this position being determined by engagement of said stem with a nut 31 screw threaded upon the upper end portion of the inner stem 14. A relatively weak spring 32, coiled around the stem 14 between an intermediate interior shoulder of the tubular stem 16 and said nut, normally maintains the raised limiting position of the stem 14 shown in Figure 3 and the corresponding closed position of the auxiliary valve 13 likewise shown in said figure.

While the described valve mechanism may be:`

9 ment.

" being closed by this travel of said valve.

variously actuated, there is disclosed a preferred actuating means in common with which the blower element 1 is driven. Thus, a gear 33 fast upon said blower element is engaged by a driving pinion 34 fast upon a shaft 35 mounted upon the head 2, 3, above said blower element by arms 35a. VUpon saidshait is also :tast a driving chain Wheel 36. Td one side face of the gear 33 there is secured Va cam member 37 which, during a predetermined portion of the rotation of said gear, engages and depresses a pivotal trip lever 38 having its lower' portion bearing upon the cap 29. y

To compel an oscillatory actuation of the blower element 1, suitable stop lmechanism is provided limiting turning of said element in each direction. Thus, as isvseen in- Figures 1 and 2, a pair of stops 40 and 41 maybe-adjustably secured upon the periphery of the gear-33, said stops engaging the pinion 34 upon a predeterminedangular actuation of said gear. The arrangement disclosed is such as to permita closing movement of the valve in one of the limiting positions of travel of ythe blower ele- That is to say, when thestop member 41 engages the pinion 34, the cam 37 has previously passed out of engagement with the trip lever 38 so that the latter 'no longer acts to depress and open the valve 4.

In the operation of the describeddevice, when the cam 37 forces the trip lever 38 angularly downward, said lever bearing upon the cap` 29v initially depresses the tubular stem 16 and the sleeve valve 18, the exhaust passages 22 and 24 This initial movement of the cap 29 engages the same with the upper end of the valve stem 14, and the continued downward actuation of i said cap moves the two stems `14 and 16 inunison, thus unseating vthe auxiliary valve 13.

Immediately upon unseating of the auxiliary valve the cleaning uid passes up through the sleeve 8 and through the openings 20 of the valve 18 and exerts a downwardpressureupon the upper face of the piston 9. Since the area of this piston exceeds that ofthe valve 4, the latter valve is now unseated by the `fluid pressure on the piston, said piston moving down until the shoulders 11 and 12 engage as shown in Figure 4, the corresponding open position of the valve 4 being likewise shown in vsaid figure. The cleaning iuid is now .delivered through the gooseneckmember 3 and through the bearing 2 `to the blower element.

the stop 40 encounters the pinion 34, limiting rotation in that direction. The .operator thenreversely actuates the chain Vwheel 36, and

l the delivery of the cleaning fluid to the blower continuesV until, through this reverse actuation of the parts, the cam 37 disengages the lever 38. Thereupon, the spring 30acting on the cap 39 raises the tubular "stem'16 and sleeve valve lto their position shown` in Figure '3,

.the stem 14 'and valve4 being at the same time raised to partially close said valve. Raising of the sleeve valve registers the'` ports 2l volume of steamcontaine'd in the -cliamberlllA aboveV the piston, the' upward`movement `loi the y After actuationk of said element through a predetermined arc piston and the resultant closing of the valve is quite gradual.

When this gradual movement has proceeded suiiiciently to raise one or more of the passages 24 sufficiently to place the same in communication with the space 25, a relatively quick discharge of the steam trappedabove the piston 9 takes place. Thereafter, the closing movement of the valve 4 is quite rapid. The speed with which the valve 4 seats during its initial retardation is regulable by means of the valve 28, since the latter controls the escape of steam exhaust- Ying from the passages 22. The accelerated speed with which vthe final seating movement of the lvalve 4 occurs is regulable by adjusting the nut 3l up or down upon the stem 14, this adjustlment acting to .uncover the passages 24 to a greater or less degree, the speed of this final closing being proportionate to the total outlet area of said openings. The primary advantage of the described retardation of the closing movement of the main valve 4 lies in the fact thatY when .the controlled blower element is of an oscillatory type, -iniat least one limiting zposition of said blower, said valve is Apermitted a closing movement. If .this movement vwere not retarded, said valve would seat before the operator, through reverse actuation of the mechanism, could again engage the cam 37 with the lever 38. It would then lbe necessary to overcome the fluid -pressureand also the pressure of the spring 30 holding the lvalve toits seat. By retarding the initial seating movement Aof the valve as above described, the operator has ample time to reversely actuate the ycontrolmechanism suiiciently to again-impose a depressing force upon the valve before the latter has-completed its retarded travel.

If the entire seating movement of the valve were retarded there .would bea-continued discharge of steam from the blowerelement for a considerable time after discontinuanceof operation of the same, `and this continued xed discharge would be injurious, to vthe `partsof the boiler encountered. Therefore, `vthe invention retards only an initial portion `of the closing movement of the main valve suicient to give the operator time `to apply anvopening yforce-to the valve through a reversal of operation. Uponv discontinuance of operation of the blower the initial period of Ygradual Iseating movement is sulciently short to .prevent damage tothe parts encountered by `the iuidvfdischarged from the blower element, during such period the .nal closing'movement being quite rapid.

For the sake of convenience the invention has been described as being incorporated ina. device for cleaningboilers. It will lbe apparent, however, that the inventiveprinciples disclosed may be incorporated in devices for cleaning apparatuses similar to boilers, and it is to betherefore understood that theiterm boilerwwhereverused throughoutthe specification and claims isto be construed as meaning .a fluid vheater or heat transfer apparatus of Aany character, y,while .the term boiler cleaner -is toibe construed as meaning a cleaner for any such typey of apparatus.

vWhat I claim as my invention isz- 1.5In-a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable `blower element andua fluid passage leading thereto, Vof avalve controlling the .samer means -responsivei to. rotation '-of .the `blow.er=e1ement for-unseating .said valve, :and means for retarding said valve during a .portionl onlyiof its.

seating` movement.

2. lIn a boiler cleaner, the combination with arotatable blower element, a fluid passage leading thereto, and a valve controlling the same, of means responsive to rotation of the blower element for unseating said valve, said valve being adapted to close when not acted on by said means, and means for retarding said valve during the initial portion only of its closing movement. Y v

3. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower element, a iluid passage leading thereto, and a normally closed valve controlling the same, of means responsive to rotation of the blower element for unseating said valve and means for retarding said valve during the initial portion only of its seating movement, and means for varying the ratio of the retarded travel of the valve to its entire seating travel.

4. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower element, a fluid passage leading thereto, and a normally closed valve controlling the same, of means responsive to rotation of the blower element for unseating said valve,

means for retarding the seating travel of the valve during an initial portion only of suchA travel, and means for regulating the degree of such retardation.

5. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower element, a fluid passage leading thereto, and a valve controlling the same and seating under pressure of the fluid in said passage, of means responsive to rotation of the blower element for unseating said valve, means for opposing pressure of the fluid controlled by ulably retarding seating of said valve.

7. In a boiler cleaner having a blower element and a valve controlling the supply of cleaning fluid to said element, means for oscillating said blower element within predetermined limits, and means responsive to an initial rotative movement of said element from one of said limits toward the other for causing the pressure of the cleaning fluid to exert a force tending to unseat said valve, said means acting in one limiting position of the blower element to retard movement of the valve during the initial closing movement only.

8. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a movable blower element, a passage for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, a valve controlling the flow oi cleaning iiuid through said passage and seating under the pressure of the fluid in said passage, and means for unseating said valve in timed relation to the movement of said blower element, of means for retarding said valve during an initial portion only of its closing movement.

9. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a .movable blower element, a passage for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, a valve seating under the pressure of the cleaning fluid for controlling the ilow of cleaning iiuid through said passage, and means for unseating said valve in timed relation to the movement of said blower element, of means for employing the pressure of the fluid to retard the initial seating movement only of said valve.

10. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a movable blower element, a passage for supplying cleaning iiuid to said blower element, a valve for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid through said passage, said valve seating under the pressure of the iiuid in said passage, and means for unseating said valve in timed relation to the movement of said blower element, of a piston connected to said valve, a chamber in which said piston reciprocates, means for admitting said fluid to said chamber to act on said piston' to retard seating of the valve, means for gradually venting said chamber during the initial seating travel of the valve, and means for rapidly venting said chamber during the iinal portion of such travel.

11. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower element, a passage for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, a normally closed valve for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid through said passage, means for rotating said blower element, and means actuated by said blower element rotating means for opening said valve, of means for retarding said valve during an initial portion only of its closing movement.

12. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a rotatable blower element, a passage for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, a normally closed valve for controlling the iiow of cleaning iiuid through said passage, means for rotating said blower element, and means actuated by said blower element rotating means for opening said valve, of means for utilizing the pressure of the cleaning fluid to retard the initial seating movement only of said valve.

13. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a movable blower element and a valve controlling the delivery of a cleaning fluid to said blower element, of means responsive to a movement of the blower element for causing the cleaning iiuid to exert a pressure on said valve to unseat the same, and means for retarding said valve during the initial portion only of its closing movement.

14. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a movable blower element and a valve controlling the delivery of a cleaning iiuid to said blower element, of means responsive to a movement of the blower element for causing the cleaning uid to exert a pressure on said valve to unseat the same, and means providing for a retarded initial closing of said valve and a subsequent rapid closing thereof.

l5. In a boiler cleaner having a blower element rotatable in opposite directions, and a valve controlling the supply of a cleaning fluid to said blowery element, said valve normally being seated under the pressure of the cleaning iiuid, means responsive to a rotative movement of said blower element for causing the cleaning fluid to exert a pressure on said valve opposed to and substantially equal to the pressure tending to seat the valve, and means for retarding movement of the valve during the initial closing movement only thereof. i

16. In a fluid heater cleaner, a rotatable blower element, means for rotating said blower element, a valve for controlling the admission of cleaning iiuid to the blower element, means actuated by the pressure of the cleaning uid for actuating said valve, and means actuated by said blower element to cause said last mentioned means to open said valve and hold the same open' during a predetermined portion only of the rotation of the blower element.

17. In a iiuid heater cleaner, the Combination of a movable blower element, a fluid passage for supplying cleaning iiuid to said blower element, a Valve controlling the iiow of cleaning uid through said fluid passage, apiston connected to the loW pressure side of said valve, an auxiliary valve controlling the flow of cleaning iiuid through said valve to act on said piston to cause thelatter to open said valve, and a single means for effecting an actuation of said auxiliary valve and a movement of said blower element.

18. In a boiler cleaner having a blower element and a Valve controlling the supply of element, of means responsive to a movement of the blower element for causing the cleaning fluid to move said Valve to open position, and means for regulably retarding seating of said valve.

FRANK BOWERS.

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